Forgiveness
by VampGrlDru
Summary: Ron is at Shell Cottage after he leaves and talks to Fleur about his fears of never being forgiven by Harry and Hermione. RxH shipping but no Hermione.


**A/N: Wrote this for the Weasley Fan Club writers challenge on DA. There were 100 prompts to choose from and I chose #89 Forgiveness. Anyone who's on DA and likes writing about the Weasley's should go and check it out, warning though they only allow canon pairings.  
>Also I wasn't sure where to stick this, I mean it features Ron and Fleur, but the pairing is so obviously Ron and Hermione despite the fact that she doesn't technically appear in it. Anyway I chose to put it as Ron and Hermione.<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe, sadtimes.**

Forgiveness 

He sat alone in the kitchen, staring at the white wall trying to block out all thought, his hands were wrapped around a freezing mug of tea. Bill was at work and Fleur was in the back garden.

He tried his hardest to forget everything, but it was impossible to forget her. Every night in his sleep he would see her beautiful, pale face staring at him dismayed. Tears were trailing down her cheeks and her voice was heartbroken. She haunted his dreams, screaming, begging him to come back, pleading with him not to leave. But, he had left; he had turned his back on his two best friends and without a second thought had abandoned them in the middle of nowhere.

He felt like scum, as groaning he put his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes tiredly. The backdoor swung open and Ron heard Fleur's shoes as they hit the tiles on the kitchen floor, she walked over to the sink and Ron heard a thudding sound. Then Fleur's footsteps got louder as they stopped right next to him.

'You have not touched your tea.' she said quietly, staring down at him.

Ron dropped his hands and clutched the mug again, refusing to look up at her.

'I only made it to give myself something to do. I didn't want it really,' he sighed, shrugging and pushing the mug away.

'Ron...'

'Don't...don't try to make me feel better. I'm not worth the effort,' he snarled at her.

He glared into her blue eyes and she glared back. He remembered three years ago, how he would have given anything to be sat talking to Fleur Delacour, to be noticed by her. But now here he was sat across the table from her and he didn't care. He just wished she'd go away and leave him alone. He wished more than anything that he was looking into a different set of eyes. Eyes that he had become so accustomed to looking at over the years, that now he felt lost without them.

'I am sure whatever happened out there, that they will forgive you,' she said sitting down next to him.

'No, I don't think they will,' he said hoarsely.

'But you think that they might?' she pushed.

'Harry...maybe, he probably will. But...but she won't,' he stuttered, his eyes looking around desperately for an escape.

'Ron, she is your friend too. You two have had your arguments before, no? And you've always managed to make it right again,' she said consolingly, reaching forward to pat him on the hand.

'No, you don't understand. She's been so scared, and she didn't...she couldn't tell Harry, he's already got enough to deal with. So I promised her that we'd stick together, that I wouldn't let anything happen to her,' he cried, as he tried to hold back the tears in his eyes. 'But...but I abandoned her, me and Harry had this fight and I wasn't thinking clearly because I was wea...I was going crazy being stuck in a tent for months on end. It got to me more than the other two and I lost it. I left them, she begged me to come back, but I didn't listen, it was like I couldn't control myself any more. But by the time I came back to myself I couldn't get back and now.'

'You're worried.'

'Terrified, if something has happened to them I'll never forgive myself.'

'You love her,' said Fleur.

Ron looked up astounded.

'How...how...?' spluttered Ron, but Fleur cut across him.

'How did I know? Please Ron, don't insult my intelligence. You only have to watch you two together to see it.'

A long silence followed this. Ron couldn't believe it. _Everyone knew, am I really that obvious,_ thought Ron. Fleur suddenly broke the silence by asking him a question.

'Do you remember when I came to your school for the Triwizard Tournament?' she asked suddenly.

Looking very puzzled at the sudden change in conversation Ron nodded his head.

'Every time I walked by you that year, you would start acting crazy and trying to flirt with me.'

Ron cringed. 'I was really hoping you would have forgotten that by now.'

She giggled quietly, and Ron's ears turned crimson.

'Oh please Ron, I have this power to affect men's urges when they are around me. I was born part Veela, I cannot change that fact. There are times when I cannot even control it. I know that you did not mean it; you just caught up in the effect. But, I did see how she reacted, how upset she got and I saw you arguing at the Yule Ball.'

'Yeah, what's your point?' he said defensively. Hoping there was indeed a point to Fleur's embarrassing little trip down memory lane.

'You forgave each other then, no?'

'Well yeah, but it's not the same...'

'And all those people she has argued with over the years, Draco Malfoy, that horrible Skeeter woman...Lavender Brown,' she added with a knowing look in her eyes that made Ron turn crimson as shame washed over him. 'She has fought with all of them in the past and yet she does not speak to them. She has also no doubt made her own mistakes, caused arguments with you, after all no one is perfect. Yet no matter how many times you two have fought, you have always forgiven one another.'

'But what if I don't deserve her forgiveness?' he asked, staring at her desperately.

'I do not think that is your decision to make Ron.'

'You'll find a way back to them and you will make everything right again, no matter what it takes. I know you will,' said Fleur smiling sadly, she stood up and made to go to the back door. Ron's hand flew out and grabbed her arm gently stopping her.

She looked down questioningly.

'Thanks Fleur, you're a really good friend. The best sister-in-law I've ever had,' he said smiling slightly.

She laughed and ruffled Ron's hair.

'You are too cute Ron.'

Then she proceeded out of the back door into the garden. After his discussion with Fleur, a small flicker of something appeared in his chest. It was something he had not dared to allow himself to feel since he had left the tent that horrible night.

It was hope.

**Reviews are welcome :)**


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